Last updated on 1st September 2020
Does the Bloomsbury Publishing Platform meet accessibility standards?
Bloomsbury Digital Resources is committed to ensuring equal access for all users of our resources, regardless of technology or ability. For all our resources, we aim for compliance with Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 (https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/).
Our sites are all built using code compliant with W3C standards for HTML and CSS. The site displays correctly in current browsers and using standards-compliant HTML/CSS code means that any future browsers should also display it correctly. Where possible content is displayed as HTML full text which can easily be resized or read with assistive technology, with mark-up that allows screen readers and keyboard-only users to navigate easily and intuitively.
We're working hard to achieve our goal of Level AA accessibility, but our testing has identified a number of areas that still need improving, and these are listed below under 'Areas for Further Improvement' within each section. We have updated this statement with recently implement fixes listed under the 'Areas of Recent Improvement' within each section, and will continue to do so as more are rolled out.
How has the Bloomsbury Publishing Platform been tested for accessibility?
All of our sites have been developed to work well with keyboard-only operation, screen readers and other assistive software, and have been tested for color contrast compliance and correct rendering with browser controls zoomed to 200%. Our sites have all been tested by specialist accessibility testers at QA InfoTech, who use a pair-testing methodology using combinations of sighted and non-sighted testers, and have been found to support Level AA with the exceptions noted below.
Can I resize the text to make it easier to read?
Yes, most text content is presented as HTML so it is resizable and reflowable. The site has been tested with 200% browser zoom to ensure that text still renders correctly and legibly, without losing any of the site's functionality or navigation.
Selected resources (e.g. Bloomsbury Applied Visual Arts, Bloomsbury Design Library and Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies) contain some content that is presented in searchable PDF form only. These chapter-level PDFs are DRM-free, so do not require any plug-ins or special software, and therefore can more easily be modified for accessibility, through zoom, changing color, reflowing or text-to-speech.
Can I navigate the site using the keyboard only?
Yes, the site has been tested thoroughly to assess how sight-impaired or mobility-impaired users would access the content, and most of the site's functionality is fully accessible via keyboard. The focus order moves correctly in most cases, and there are no 'keyboard traps' in the site.
Areas of recent improvement:
- A 'Skip to Main Content' link has been added to all content pages.
- Keyboard-only users can now expand/collapse the post-search filters.
- Keyboard focus is now visible on 'Search' and 'Go' buttons.
- Focus is now visible in the 'Explore By' and 'Browse Contents' navigation menus.
- Modal windows such as 'Share', 'Cite', or 'Subscription Required' can now be closed using keyboard navigation only.
- All image carousels and slider controls are now fully accessible to keyboard-only users.
Areas for further improvement:
- The Timeline is not accessible to keyboard-only navigation.
Does the site support screen readers?
Yes, the site has been manually tested throughout using JAWS 18, NVDA 2018, Apple VoiceOver and Android Talkback.
On main content pages such as book chapters, all content is correctly tagged to allow screen reader users to navigate the content and understand its structure. Screen reader users are able to follow text in the correct reading order throughout.
Areas of recent improvement:
- Navigation bar links are now correctly tagged as headings for screen reader users.
- An HTML Language tag has been added throughout to clarify that the content is in English.
- Appropriate text labels have been added to form fields and drop down menus on the Advanced Search, Login, Contact Us, and Personal Account Sign Up pages, as well as other search and navigation fields across the platform.
Areas for further improvement:
- Some elements are are tagged with inappropriate heading levels (e.g. on book landing pages and chapter view)
- HTML Language tags are not supported for content which is in a language other than English (although this type of content is rare across the Bloomsbury Publishing Platform product range).
- On submitting invalid entries in forms, there is no automatic error notification, although there is a workaround (users can navigate the page manually to read error messages).
Do the images include alt text and descriptions?
Yes, appropriate alternative text is given for primary site content such as museum images, jacket cover images and book illustrations. Some home page images lack alt text, but these are purely decorative and the relevant information is also provided in text format.
Areas for further improvement:
- Some alternative text for image links is inappropriate or unnecessary (e.g. 'Login Icon', 'Header Logo').
- The images on rolling carousels or book sliders do not currently support alt text.
Has the site been tested for color contrast and color-blindness?
To ensure accessibility for low-vision or colorblind users, we aim to ensure that the color contrast ratio for all interactive elements meets the WCAG standard minimum of 4.5:1. We also aim never to use color as the only source of information: whenever color is used to convey meaning this is also conveyed using text equivalents and HTML tags.
Areas of recent improvement to meet this standard include color changes throughout the sites to the 'Back to top' link, the 'Search' icon in main navigation bars, and the expand/collapse icons.
How do I contact Bloomsbury to get further help with accessibility?
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require assistance, or have any queries or feedback relating to accessibility, via the email address accessibility@bloomsbury.com. Alternatively, use the Contact Us form, and select 'Access or Technical Problem' from the Inquiry drop-down.
If required, we will be happy to provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) which gives further details of this site's compliance with both the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act.
